Johnny Depp is set to portray Richard - a college professor - in the new movie 'Richard Says Goodbye'.

The 53-year-old actor has reportedly been cast as the titular Richard - a college professor who decides to live life on the wild side after he is given a life-changing diagnosis - in the upcoming movie directed by Wayne Roberts, according to Variety.

Not much else is known about the film nor has anyone else been approached for accompanying roles but the part for Johnny is very fitting as it comes just months after his turbulent love life and outrageous spending habits hit the headlines.

Depp certainly has a busy year coming up as he will return to screens later this month when he reprises his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge', before his movie 'Murder On The Orient Express' arrives in cinemas on November 3.

It's also thought he has been cast in the role of Russell Poole, the detective who headed the investigation into the murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G, in the forthcoming film 'Labyrinth'.

Poole, a Los Angeles detective, was given the tricky task to find out who murdered the 'Juicy' hitmaker. He later became convinced that the rapper's death was caused by "gangsta cops" in his force.

However, his theory has been shelved by others, including fellow Los Angeles police detective Greg Kading, who believes it was more likely to be gang members who were responsible for the rapper's untimely death.

'Labyrinth' - which is directed by Brad Furman - has been adapted from the book 'Labyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implications of Death Row Records' Suge Knight, and the Origins of the Los Angeles Police Scandal', which is journalist Randall Sullivan's account of the series of the events leading up to and after the murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.